Metroid Prime (creature)

This article is about the creature Metroid Prime. For the game, see Metroid Prime.

For other uses, see Metroid Prime (disambiguation).

“	Only the holder of twelve shall face the Worm.	„
—Chozo Lore

Metroid Prime is a highly-mutated Metroid which appears in Metroid Prime as the final boss. Its influence is felt throughout the entire series, making it the main antagonist of the Prime Trilogy.

History

On Tallon IV, a planet inhabited by the Chozo, there was a prophecy that foretold a "Worm" would infest the planet. The prophecy foretold that the Worm would devour the planet from within and would bring a "Great Poison" along with it. However, the prophecy also foretold a great "Defender" (Samus) would deliver the planet from evil and would confront the "Worm".^[1]

Eventually, this prophecy came to fruition. A Leviathan from Phaaze crashed onto Tallon IV which started the destruction of the planet. Chozo who came in contact with Phazon became corrupted and controled by Metroid Prime itself (or became victims of "Phazon madness", as referred to by the Space Pirates) and lost their sanity. Known as "Turned," they destroyed everything they could and attacked other Chozo.^[2] This madness did not end with death, as some would become dangerous Chozo Ghosts, attacking all they encountered.

Seeing the evil that was corrupting the planet, the Chozo created a temple to contain the Leviathan, the source of the Phazon, as well as the Phazon itself. They named this temple the "Cradle".^[3] They created twelve Artifacts, known as "Cipher", that one must have to gain access to the temple and visit the Impact Crater of the meteor.^[4]

However, the problems the Chozo faced did not end. Space Pirates landed on the planet and were able to steal some of the Artifacts, causing the Chozo to scatter the rest of the Artifacts across the planet. The Space Pirates try to comprehend what the Artifacts do though do not succeed. They then tried to destroy the Artifact Temple, though failed again. The Space Pirates eventually found Phazon on the planet and gained access to the Impact Crater through mining. In the underground, they found the mutated creature, naming it "Metroid Prime" for its biological similarities to the Metroids. They then began mining operations on the planet to obtain more Phazon, using it for their experiments on both themselves and other creatures. This appears to have been retconned in the Metroid Prime Trilogy, as scans reveal the Space Pirates were unable to access the Impact Crater, due to a force field surrounding it. The Pirates instead detected a powerful life force (Metroid Prime) that was rapidly consuming Phazon inside the crater. This was also the case in the PAL version of the original Metroid Prime.

The Chozo came to the conclusion that Tallon IV was doomed to destruction. Before they left, they saw visions of Samus Aran exploring the planet. They left behind upgrades for her battle suit in hopes that one day she will fulfill the prophecy. They then left the planet.

Space Pirate Data

File:Metroid Prime Scan.jpg

According to NTSC-version Space Pirate Data, Metroid Prime was discovered in a cavern by a mining crew. It quickly killed the miners, though was able to be contained by security units and drones. Studies were then conducted on the Metroid. They discovered that it is genetically similar to a Metroid, though much more "evolved". It has a limitless capacity for Phazon and is not affected by the substance. It never stops growing and has some psychotic behavior, likely due to the Phazon.^[5]

Metroid Prime was at one time kept in a stasis tank. There was a large batch of Phazon in the room it was in and, sensing it, destroyed its tank and consumed all the Phazon. It also managed to assimilate several weapons and defense systems from fallen security units and began using its new weapons against the Space Pirates. They were able to contain it though were not able to remove the equipment, making them an integral part of Metroid Prime's body.^[6]

Metroid Prime eventually managed to fully assimilate the equipment, granting it armor plating and powerful defense screens.^[7]

In the PAL-version of the game however, the Space Pirates on Tallon IV were merely aware of the presence of some creature within the containment field of the Cradle. They also detected it fed on Phazon.

Scan Visor Information

Metroid Prime (Exo): Morphology: highly evolved, Phazon-producing life-form. The aberration known as Metroid Prime is the source of Phazon, making it immensely powerful. A genetic flaw makes it susceptible to certain weapons for brief periods. Only its head is truly vulnerable: other attacks are a nuisance. Offensively, Metroid Prime has a number of natural and mechanical weapons at its disposal. These include Ultrafrigid Beam, Multi-Missiles, Snare Beams, and Particle Wave Projectors. Its massive strength and barbed carapace make it lethal in melee combat. Recommend maximum firepower when engaging this enemy.

Metroid Prime (Core): Morphology: the core essence of Metroid Prime. Scans indicate that the Phazon energy form of Metroid Prime is invulnerable to all conventional weapons: only attacks from a Phazon-fused Arm Cannon will damage it. It generates pools of Phazon when it attacks: use these to fuel your Suit’s Phazon weapon system. The entity can also spawn Metroids to assist it in battle, rendering itself invisible when it does so.

Samus's arrival

Slumbering mp — Samus encountering Metroid Prime.

When Samus arrived on Tallon IV, the planet was greatly corrupted by Phazon. She explored the planet, ridding it of its corrupted creatures and destroying the Space Pirate base. She eventually collected the twelve Chozo Artifacts and gained access to the Impact Crater, though she had to fight off Meta Ridley beforehand.

Inside, instead of the normal blue Phazon seen throughout the planet, orange Phazon could be seen. Samus also found Fission Metroids, Metroids corrupted due to the high concentration of Phazon. As she progressed through the Impact Crater, she met Metroid Prime.

The battle

Samus's battle with Metroid Prime is the last in the game. Metroid Prime has two forms. Strangely, when scanning Metroid Prime, a close-up of a visor-like part at the top of its armored form reveals some sort of face located inside. It is unknown what this is, but it is possible this may have become Dark Samus.

Exo Form

The first form is Metroid Prime with thick plating all around itself save for the eyes. It uses a shielding system where the color of its body indicates what beam is its weakness. The same can be said of the color of the beam it fires from its massive maw (which spans the bottom of its entire carapace.) Purple is the Wave Beam, white is the Ice Beam, red is the Plasma Beam, and yellow is the Power Beam. Samus must charge the beam required and fire it at Metroid Prime's eyes to damage it. Metroid Prime will retaliate by ramming Samus, which she can avoid by entering Morph Ball form and rolling into the deep crevices in the ground under Metroid Prime. It will also attack with Ultrafrigid Breath, Multi-Missiles, Snare Beams, and Particle Wave Projectors. As Metroid Prime takes more damage, it retreats into deeper caverns, using stronger and stronger attacks as it goes. Eventually, it falls into a hole, with Samus following it.

Metroidprimeessence — Metroid Prime Core Essence.

Core Form

When Samus lands, she finds Metroid Prime's plating has been cast off with Phazon oozing out of it. Metroid Prime flies out of the body in its second form, the core essence of Metroid Prime. Metroid Prime will use its tentacles to shoot waves of energy throughout the room which Samus must jump over to avoid and will spawn various Metroid species. There are several ways to deal with the Metroids. Samus can use a Power Bomb to kill them, or she can run past them and use the Phazon Beam to kill them. A third tactic only works the first two times it creates Metroids. Use the Ice Beam to freeze them and then Missile them. The third time on, Prime only makes Fission Metroids. Whenever it creates a Metroid, Metroid Prime will create small pools of Phazon. With the use of the Phazon Suit, Samus can stand on these pools and enter Hyper Mode. She can then fire Phazon at Metroid Prime by the use of the Phazon Beam, greatly damaging it. Eventually, it will completely destabilize. Once Samus has defeated Metroid Prime's second form, it morphs into an odd looking blob, similar to a Metroid or a Core-X from Metroid Fusion. Tentacles will come out of it and grab Samus. Despite Samus resisting, it takes her Phazon Suit (leaving her in her Gravity Suit) and all other sources of Phazon in the general vicinity and explodes, causing the entire cavern to collapse with Samus barely escaping. Samus races to her gunship, observes the Artifact Temple in its destroyed state, and leaves the planet. The Hatchling has fulfilled the prophecy.

Dark Samus

Main article: Dark Samus

Despite Samus killing Metroid Prime and causing the cavern to collapse on itself, it was reborn. With the absorption of the Phazon Suit, the Phazon that Prime left behind was able to reconstruct itself into a body similar to Samus's. Because Dark Samus was once Metroid Prime, Dark Samus is technically a metroid. It could travel across space and was more powerful than ever before. It was dubbed "Dark Samus" ("Dark Hunter" to the Space Pirates) due to the dark color of its suit and its malevolent nature.

Origins

Metroid Prime Concept — Concept art of the exoskeleton.

Despite the Prime subseries being over, Metroid Prime's origins were never fully explained. According to the Page 3 of the Art Booklet packaged with Metroid Prime Trilogy, Metroid Prime was originally a Metroid that became corrupted by absorbing Phazon from the Phazon Core that was inside the Leviathan that impacted Tallon IV.

In Corruption, inside the room just before the battle with Dark Samus on planet Phaaze, the remains of an exoskeleton very similar to Metroid Prime's can be found, however it is unknown if they belong to the Metroid Prime found on Tallon IV or to another Prime-like creature that lived on Phaaze. Hopper and Phazon Metroids featured in Corruption also bear resemblances to Prime, suggesting a connection between them.

The following has not been explained in official canon:

How a Metroid was able to get inside of the Leviathan, either before crashing on Tallon IV (flying inside of the Leviathan through space), or after.
If after is the case (thus giving the Phazon Core a "local predator" to attract), how it was able to bypass through the Cipher/Cradle.
Also, if after is the case, whether the Space Pirates brought the Metroid with them, or whether it was in the possession of the Chozo.
What happened to the Tallon IV Leviathan's Phazon Core. Though it has never been officially stated, most theories point to it being completely absorbed by Metroid Prime. The fact that Metroid Prime can create pools of Phazon at will enforces this theory.

Early Metroid Prime concept art (as shown to the left) depicts several "eyes" in the background that strongly resemble the eyes found in the Leviathan Battleship orbiting the Pirate Homeworld. This could possibly suggest a correlation between Metroid Prime and the Leviathan, however it cannot be certain.

Brawl Trophies

Metroid Prime (Exo)

Prime Exo Brawl — Four Images showing the Exoskeleton form of Metroid Prime in *Brawl*.

"The form of the Metroid Prime that Samus first encounters. It can become invulnerable to all but one of Samus's weapons at a time. The body color alternates between yellow, purple, white, and red, with the color indicating the weapon that can deal damage. After taking a certain amount of damage, the Metroid Prime exoskeleton reveals its core essence."

GCN Metroid Prime

Metroid Prime (Core)

Prime Core Brawl — Four Images showing the Core Essence form of Metroid Prime in *Brawl*.

"The core form of Metroid Prime after losing its exoskeleton. It can make itself invisible for a set time, which requires Samus to make a visor change. Normal hits do not have any effect on it--the Metroid Prime can eventually be defeated by using the Phazon Beam while standing in a Phazon puddle."